TRAVELThe Airport Lounge Perk That Keeps High Rollers Hooked on Amex4 min read

The Lounges Worth Keeping a Card For

There’s a specific kind of airport calm that only exists behind a certain door. No gate announcements, no sticky seats, no one fighting over an outlet. The Amex Centurion Lounges have built a cult following among frequent flyers — not because of the brand name on the door, but because the food and drinks inside are genuinely good. Good enough that some cardholders openly admit the lounge access is the only reason they’re still paying the annual fee.

American Express has been expanding this network steadily, while also tinkering with the access rules. Here’s what you actually need to know before you show up expecting a free glass of wine.

Where These Lounges Are Located

In the U.S., Centurion Lounges currently operate at major hubs including Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington Dulles, among others. Internationally, you’ll find them in cities like Hong Kong, London Heathrow, Melbourne, Mexico City, Stockholm, and Sydney.

More are coming. Amex has confirmed future locations at Tokyo Haneda, Salt Lake City, and Newark. One thing worth clarifying: the Amex Centurion Club in New York City is a separate animal entirely — it’s a members-only social space with paid food and drinks, not an airport lounge.